It is desirable to form a seal between two pipe sections, such as two corrugated pipe sections where the end of one of the pipe sections has annular grooves and one of the pipe sections has an enlarged bell portion at one end. It is not uncommon to place elastomeric gaskets around the end of the pipe section having annular grooves. The pipe section having annular grooves is inserted into an enlarged bell portion of the second pipe section. The elastomeric gasket contacts each of the pipe sections to form a seal between the pipe sections.
Typically, a large frictional force is encountered when the inner pipe and the elastomeric gasket is inserted into the outer pipe. As one end of the inner pipe is pushed into the enlarged end or bell of the outer pipe section or pipe connector, the gasket is sometimes pulled from the groove by the large frictional force. When the pipe is not properly sealed, ground water may leak into the pipe or fluid may leak out of the pipe and contaminate the ground.
It is not uncommon for the joining sections of the corrugated pipe to be exposed to numerous forces causing stress to the gasket over the life of the connection. Such stress whether from the connection between the two pipe sections or the stresses resulting from the pipe connection being pulled or normal operation such as the passage of fluids may allow the gasket to move from its desired location or allow debris to infiltrate the gasket seat, reducing the effectiveness of the sealing connection.
In order to reduce the dislocation of the gasket or the infiltration of debris in the corrugation, advances in both gasket composition and/or geometrical configuration have been proposed.